Thursdays Are For Cooking!

| March 5, 2020

This is a hearty, filling, come-in-from-the-cold dish, good for winter or when winter is fading. Quick and easy to fix, it can be increased to feed as many people as you think will enjoy this casserole. It’s also good for using up leftovers like the end of the ham or whatever you can scavenge off the bone. And who doesn’t like bacon or ham, anyway?

Bacon, Ham and Mac & Cheese

2 cups of uncooked short pasta – penne is good for this, as is rotini. If you’re out of those, macaroni is also short pasta!

1 minced garlic clove OR 1 tablespoon of minced garlic

2 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons of flour

¼ teaspoon of pepper

2 cups 2% milk

3 cups of shredded cheese – cheddar is good for this, as is a mix of cheddar and other cheeses. Divide into portions of 2 cups and 1 cup; the 2 cups of cheese go into the sauces and the remaining 1 cup goes on top

½ cup of crumbled cooked bacon

½ cup of minced ham (Buzz that up in your food processor from the ham in your fridge.)

Preparation:

Cook the pasta according to package directions

In a large saucepan, melt the butter and sauté the garlic in it until softened (about 1 minute)

Stir in the flour and pepper to make the roux, then gradually add the milk – KEEP STIRRING TO KEEP THE SAUCE SMOOTH!!!!!

Add the minced ham to the sauce and keep stirring

Drain the pasta. Add 1/3 cup of bacon and all the minced ham to the pasta, and mix that into the cheese sauce. Load the pasta/ham/bacon mixture into your greased baking dish (2 qt size). Cover the dish and bake it in the oven at 350F for about 30 minutes.

Uncover the mac and cheese and add the remaining crumbled bacon. Bake it 5 to 10 more minutes until the cheese is melted.

Note: you can also add chopped onions and other vegetables to this mix, partly because it adds flavor and color, and partly because adding peas and chopped carrots will fool the kids into thinking they aren’t there. And don’t be shy with the cheese in the sauce, either.

This will serve 4 to 6 people. If you expect more, increase ingredients accordingly, or even prepare two casseroles so that you have enough on hand for those hungry chatterboxes at the dinner table.

Category: Economy

9 Comments
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AW1Ed

So, basically Mac&Cheese with ham and bacon. Not a thing wrong with that! And so much better than the stuff that comes in a box.

Have some Tabasco or other favorite hot sauce nearby, just because.
Thanks, Ex!

Haywire Angel

Yumm!!!

5th/77th FA

I did read that as 1/2 pound of crumbled bacon didn’t I? Thought so. Might as well put in a skillet of buttered milk cornbread since the oven is already hot. num num! Thanks Ex!

Bloomberg is also short and pasty. And like macaroni, he is a limp noodle.

Toxic Deplorable Racist SAH B Woodman

WHo would want to subject themselves to the toxicity (and likely death) from eating Bloomin’Idjit?

Jeff LPH 3, 63-66

The sausage, diced tomatos, tomato sauce and penne are on the kitchen counter ready for my 5th batch of your recipe which is worth every red cent penne y.

Jeff LPH 3, 63-66

5th batch done this time with HOT sausage.

DocV

Oh my! I know what’s for dinner tomorrow…and with cornbread. Great idea!

OWB

Dang, that sounds good. Unfortunately, when you eliminate everything I can no longer eat you are left with peppered garlic! (I know, I know – appropriate substitutions can be made.)